


Daughter of a King

by thenevillegirl



Category: The Sunne in Splendour - Sharon Kay Penman, The White Queen (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-16
Updated: 2020-06-01
Packaged: 2020-10-19 21:22:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 20,942
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20663987
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thenevillegirl/pseuds/thenevillegirl
Summary: This is the story of Kathryn Plantagenet, illegitimate daughter of King Richard III and his mistress Lady Kate Haute.





	1. Prologue - Tower of London, London, England -1487

**Prologue**

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**Tower of London, London, England -1487**

My cell is so little, and cold. I have only the dress I wear and a fur that my cousin, Queen Elizabeth, provided me.

Since after the death of my father, my husband decided that being married to a Plantagenet, even if an illegitimate one, was dangerous for him. The new King, Henry Tudor, would have thought of him as a traitor. So he thought that consign me to the King, was the only and right thing to do. I never gave him a child, it was easy to end our marriage as it was never even consummated.

I knew I was going to die. After the victory of Tudor, I signed a paper where it said I surrendered to him, even my brother John, that lost his title as Captain of Calais, did, but I knew that there were rebels in England that wanted, once again, a Yorkist King, like my father and my uncle were. My brother, my cousin Edward and me are all threats to him. I offered my services to my cousin Elizabeth as one of her ladies in waiting, but the King didn’t approved. I was the daughter of the late King Richard III, I was a worst thread compared to my cousin Margaret, who was only the daughter of my uncle George, Duke of Clarence.

Edward Plantagenet, brother to Margaret, was once a heir to the throne, and had a cell close to mine. Sometimes I could hear him crying. He was just a boy of twelve, he never did anything wrong and now he was condemned to pass his life waiting for the day of his own death; I hoped, deep in my heart that he would die of fever and not by the hand of an executioner.  


I heard the door being opened and the Queen herself was coming in, followed by Princess Cecily, her sister.

“Good day, dear cousin,” She started, trying to smile, and I wondered how could she even do that in a situation like this.

I got up and made a curtsy, she was the Queen after all. She was crowned in November of this year and i knew she already had an heir for her husband, a little boy named Arthur.  


“Good day, your majesty” I answered with small voice.

She approached me and took my hands, “Please, we are cousins, after all… Kathryn, I’m so sorry for this. I will speak with the King and he will…”

I interrupted her, sighing, a bit angry “…and what? I’m a threat for him and he will have me executed.”

Elizabeth left my hands and composed herself, clearing her voice. “I promise I will do everything is in my power to have you released, Kathryn, for our childhood and for the love that bonded our fathers.” She then promised.

I smiled a bit, admiring the fact she cared enough to fight for my release.

They left the cell and I sat back on the bed, laying down and trying to get some sleep. My dreams filled with memories, about my mother, my father, my home... It was all gone now.  



	2. Part 1

**Fotheringhay Castle, Northamptonshire, England - 1474**

I was born at Fotheringhay Castle in Northamptonshire. The same castle where, as I found out later, my father was born.

My mother used to tell me that the day she brought me into life was a bright day and she took that as a sign for my future. 

I’m the daughter of King Richard III, brother to Edward IV, king before him. But, when I was born, my father was just Richard Plantagenet, Duke of Gloucester, one of the bravest and most loyal subjects of the King.

I spent the first four years of my life with my mother, lady Kate Haute and her husband, Lord James Haute, a kinsman of Queen Elizabeth Woodville, whose mother was also one of her cousins, Joan Woodville.

Lord Haute never tried to love me like father should, and as my mother naturally did, because I was the daughter of another man, even if, that man, was one of the brothers of his King. But I never searched for his affection either, in my heart I always hoped to create a bond with my real father.

My mother always told me that I looked like him, her dear Richard. But I only saw him once, when I was a little girl of just two years and I couldn’t really remember him. I always tried to picture him in my head; But, all I could remember was some glimpse of some of his features as his hair, the color of his eyes…

“Kathryn!”

I was lost in my thoughts when I heard my mother calling me. She entered in my chambers and I walked away from the window. From that spot I could see the horizon, dreaming of travelling and living adventures, like the ones in the books my mother reads to me before going to sleep. We don’t read many books, but she keeps them dearly, for they are gifts from my father.

They told the stories about King Arthur and his Golden Age. I was fascinated by this great King and his valorous knights. I always dreamed I could be just like one of them.

Mother always laughed at my silly fantasies, telling me I was just like my father and this made me happy because these stories helped me to feel him closer.

“Yes, Mother?” I asked, putting myself upright with my back and my head, fixing the dress folds.

She smiled, seeing I was already an educated and composed little lady. She then fixed my wavy dark brown hair.

“I have a surprise for you” She told me, I could say she was excited. She then took my hands; she lowered at my height and whispered in my ear, as it was a secret between us, “Your father is here, my little princess.” She smiled and my eyes widened.

I couldn’t hold back my excitement, and I finally understood my mother’s. I wanted to run in the hall, where he was waiting for me, but my mother stopped me and reminded me I was a lady, the daughter of an important nobleman, and I had to behave like one. I nodded and let her to take my hand to accompany me.

My father was turned away from us and all I could see were his hair and that he was tall, or at least he was compared to me.

“Richard…” My mother called him softly and he turned around, smiling widely.

I liked the way he was smiling at me but, at the same time, I felt suddenly shy and I hid in my mother’s gown. She laughed softly and I could hear him doing the same. The next thing I heard was his footsteps and then his hand that was caressing my hair.

“Hello, Kathryn” He said softly. I peeked a little to see that his face was very close to mine and I turned my face back on the fabric of the gown. 

“Are you afraid?” He then asked kindly, with a little of apprehension in his voice.

I wasn’t afraid, but it was the first time meeting my father properly and I didn’t know how to behave. He seemed nice and affectionate. I shook my head to say I wasn’t.

“I brought you a gift, would you like to see it?” He asked, standing up and walking away, I could hear the footsteps and then again towards us.

My mother’s hand was on my head, she was trying to let me know it was all right, so I turned my face to see what my father had brought me and I smiled with joy and amazement when I saw that was a new dress.

I ran to him, who was holding my gift. It was a bit bigger for me and I looked at it with a bit of sadness, tracing my fingers on the material of the dress, it was so soft.

“Don’t worry, it is for you to wear it for longer time” He reassured and it worked, I certainly was.

It was beautiful. Ocean blue was the color and it had some decorations on the gown. I could imagine the daughters of King Edward wearing dresses like this one. I had almost forgot that it was my birthday, but my father didn’t.

I looked at him, smiling widely and he did the same.

“My wife, Lady Anne, had her seamstress to make it personally for you. The fabric comes from Italy.” He said smiling softly when he mentioned his wife, Lady Anne Neville. I frowned a little at this information.

I knew he was married now and that he had a son with his wife, my brother Edward, but sometimes was odd to think he was. Sometimes, I admit, I dreamed of my father being married to my mother. She would have been happy, and so I would, but he chose another woman. She must have been very special and loved more by my father.

When I knew I had two brothers, Edward and John, another son outside the wedlock, I spent many nights dreaming of meeting them. I felt so alone here, even if I loved playing with my nurse’s children, Ursula and Geoffrey.

“Do you like it?” He asked and I nodded quickly and smiling. “Perfect! I will tell Anne she has great taste and that my daughter appreciated the gift.” He stated and my mother, who approached us soon after, looked hurt by his words about his wife.

“Kathryn, why don’t you ask Elizabeth to help you get in that beautiful dress, I need to speak with your father.” She caressed my hair, doing her best to smile as much as possible. I nodded and brought my dress in my chamber, followed by Elizabeth, my nurse.

She helped me to fit in the dress and it was a bit loose on me, but I was happy now, because my father told me it was made to wear it a bit longer and it was a gift from him, even if his wife had it to be made.

“Come, my lady, let show this gorgeous dress to Lady Haute and the Duke.” Elizabeth said, taking my hand in hers. She was sweet and caring and I knew here since I was a little baby.

I hopped around the corridor singing, while Elizabeth was scolding me but laughing at the same time.

“Lady Mother! Lord Father!” I screamed with loud voice, making my triumph entrance in the great hall.

But I silenced once I entered the room and seeing my mother that was kissing my father. I thought he was married to Lady Anne, so why was he kissing my mother?

They stopped kissing and back off from the other and my mother composed herself. Father excused himself and ran out of the castle. I followed him with the gaze until he disappeared from my sight.

“Come, little Kathryn” said Elizabeth, she led me in my chambers again and helped me out of my dress.

…

“Elizabeth, why my mother was kissing my father?” I asked her, after wearing my nightgown. It was night time, but I knew I would have never slept with this curiosity in my head.

“Your lady mother never forgot your father, I guess” She told me and I frowned while getting up my bed and helping Elizabeth covering me with sheets.

“But he is married to Lady Anne, she is his wife.” I pointed out and Elizabeth smirked.

“My little Kathryn, you are still a child, you can’t understand these matters yet. Men have mistresses and…” She started but I interrupted her.

“No way! My father is the most loyal and honest man in the world, he would never do that.”

Elizabeth smiled again and kissed my forehead, “Of course, then you will not have sleeping problems knowing that.” And I nodded slowly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are with the first part.  
We don't know much of Kathryn (or Katherine), that's why i'm so interested in her. She was also the daughter of Rchard III, we don't know if she had a bond with him or with her brothers or Anne Neville, so i will try to imagine what could have been for her if she had that bonds. As i read in some novels, she and John lived very closely to Richard and Anne (living in other castles) but also that they were in Middleham Castle since Kathryn was 5-6 years. Well, i decided to start with her at 4 years, before the campaign in France.  
I was inspired by the Sunne in Splendour for this part (if you read it, you know) and hope you like it. It is short and i'm aware is poor of descriptions but it is not easy for me, not being a writer, but at the end of the story i will revise it all and maybe add more descriptions. If you want to help me or give me some advice, please do it, i will give you credit and i will be forever gratefull :)


	3. Part 2

**Fotheringhay Castle, Northamptonshire, England - 1474**

“You look gorgeous, Lady Kathryn.”

Elizabeth was brushing my hair and complimented me like I was going to the court of the King of England, but I was just heading to York with my mother to buy fabrics and some new jewels for me.

I just turned four and my mother wanted to make me look good, in case my father wanted to betroth me to someone, but who would marry the illegitimate daughter of a Duke, even if it was a Royal one?

I was too little to understand the love affairs, but I suspected that my mother wanted to go to York just to have a chance to meet my father, who was the Lord of the North.

York was a two days trip while we could have gone to Peterborough, which was just four hours away.

I put my cloak on and I was ready to go; As much I didn’t wanted for my mother and him to meet, I was hoping to see my father too. Last time I saw him was two months before, for my birthday, and we didn’t had much time together; He had to go away after that kiss with my mother.

My mother wore one of her best dresses and as soon as I was closer to her, in the carriage, I smelled a strong perfume. In that moment I had no doubt on what she had in mind.

We stopped a couple of times to eat and to rest, my legs hurt. And when finally we were in York, I wished to lay down and sleep for the rest of the day, but Elizabeth reminded me that we were there not to sleep but to buy and my mother was already looking around in search for my father.

We started to search for the fabrics for my new dresses. It would be silk or nothing, my mother said, we had money to buy enough of it for two dresses.

I was amazed by all the wonderful things people were selling.

I wanted all the dresses, to feel like a princess. Like Princess Elizabeth, the eldest daughter of King Edward. One day she would have been a gorgeous Queen, of that I was sure.

I never met the King, who is also one of my uncles, nor the Queen who my mother told me was a commoner and that she hadn’t royal blood in her veins. This made me to dream a bit, to dream about a King, like my uncle, to fall in love with me and decide to marry me even if I was a common girl. But my mother told me that a Queen like her was never to be loved by people, because the same Queen Elizabeth was the main cause for the King’s cousin Lord Warwick and his brother George the Duke of Clarence, to rise against him.

I always thought that uncle Edward did the right thing marrying a woman he loved and not a woman they chose for some military alliance.

“Kate, Kathryn… what a surprise, I wasn’t told you were coming to York” I turned to see my father, the Duke of Gloucester, quite surprised.

“Richard” my mother made a little curtsy and I did the same.

He smiled and greeted us. I watched my parents and I wondered what was going to happen.

I started to walk around the marked with Elizabeth and when I saw my father taking my mother, who was agitated, away from the main street, I begged Elizabeth to follow them.

“My lady is not appropriate!”She told me.

“I know you’re curious too, Elizabeth. Please, I need to know what he is going to say to my lady mother.”

Elizabeth sighed and nodded, “All right, but if things starts to go funny I’ll take you back to the market, okay?” She warned me.

I nodded, even if I didn’t know what she was mean to say with “things start to go funny”, in the worst case they would be kissing like at the Castle.

We followed them without being seen or noticed by someone. Once we reached them, I could clearly listen what they were saying.

“Why are you doing this to me? To us?!” I heard my mother exclaiming, she was almost crying. My father stroked her arms gently, he was probably trying to calm her.

“Kate, I told you, I thought I loved you, but the truth is that I was desperate when I bedded you…” he started to say then, continuing after her sobbing, “… Anne was to marry Lancaster and I was… I care for you, but is not the kind of love I feel for Anne, my wife, and that kiss you gave me proved me I was right.”

“So you’re telling me that I’m a fool for loving you?!” She yelled.

“I think you do not love me either, not in that way at least, I think we’re bonded thanks to our daughter but nothing more.” He explained, trying to be as reasonable as possible.

My mother cried and I saw my father trying to calm her.

“We can go, Elizabeth…” I told her and I was not surprised to see she was crying too, she was a very sensible woman. She always cried for everything, it has been so since I know her.

We returned to the market and among of all the people I saw a young boy, probably of two years older than me. He had brown hair and was with a younger boy; probably he was a one year old child.

“See, Edward?” He said, showing the objects displayed on the stall.

A woman approached them. She was very beautiful, with auburn hair tided in a braid, pale skin and her dress was beautiful, like one of mine.

“Lady Anne, Edward wants one of these!” the older boy told to the woman, pointing to a dog carved in wood.

“He already has one of those, Ned.” She said smiling, probably she understood that it was the boy that wanted one, “You can have it if you want, I’ll pay for it.”

“Thank you, my lady!” He exclaimed happy.

“Ah, I wonder where’s your father, my darling” she then said kneeling down to fix hes son’s clothes.

Lady Anne.

That woman was Lady Anne Neville. My father’s wife and that would be their son, Edward. My mother was sad to hear about his birth but she sent her best wishes anyway to make him happy.

She was beautiful, with her auburn golden hair and her petite figure; she seemed herself a little girl.

My heart was beating fast for the excitement; I had the chance to get acquainted with one of my brothers

I was tempted to go to greet them. But I blocked on my first step. The only thing that was stopping me was the thought that she could hate me since I was the daughter of her husband but of another woman, just like Lord Haute.

“Kathryn!” I heard my name and turned around to see my father.

I smiled and then I noticed that Lady Anne was coming towards us with curiosity in her eyes.

“Father, I’m so happy to see you.” I said and did a little curtsy, again.

“Please… Ah Anne! This is Kathryn Plantagenet, my daughter.” He said when his wife was close to us, holding her son by the hand and, next to them, there was also that boy, Ned.

“It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Kathryn.” She smiled, it was a kind smile and it seemed also sincere. “This is Edward, but we call him Ned.” She then said, pointing at the little child, resting her hand on his shoulders. Now that she was closer, I could see that she had rounded belly. She was expecting a child.

“It is my pleasure to meet you, my Lady, brother” I said, getting close to my brother and greeting him. He smiled back. He reminded me of our father, even if his features belonged to his mother.

“Why are you here in York? Must have been a long journey for you and your mother.” She affirmed and I nodded in agreement.

I started to explain, but I couldn’t say that my mother wanted to spend some time with my father, Lady Anne’s husband. She was so kind and she didn’t deserved to suffer for this detail, but I was glad that my father was an honorable man and faithful to his wife.

“We just wanted to buy some fabrics for a dress and mother said here we would have more choices.” I answered and I was convincing enough, because she nodded in understanding and smiled again.

“Well, I hope that you and your mother would accept my invitation to Middleham Castle, you can dine with us, right Richard?” She proposed but my father stopped her, squeezing her waist.

I thought it wasn’t a good idea too, not now at least. She asked me to forgive her for her impulsiveness.

“Kathryn, we have to go now.” I heard my mother right behind me. She had swollen eyes, and I saw Lady Anne expression changing rapidly.

“Lady Haute, your daughter is delicious, I hope your trip back home will be safe and not too tiring” and then she went to the market with her son and Ned, whom smiled a bit at me. My father noticed our exchanging of smiling because he told me that he was at his service and was a good boy.

“I am so happy you came here in York, Kathryn. I will send all the fabrics you bought as soon as possible to Fotheringhay Castle.” He told me, lowering himself to speak to me eye to eye.

We said goodbye and during the journey to home I couldn’t sleep for a second, I was too happy for having met my father and Lady Anne and my brother Edward.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you are reading this, thank you so much for supporting my story.  
I hope you are liking it by far, i know isn't much to say if you do or not, but the beggining of a story is really relevant on the quality.


	4. Part 3

**Fotheringhay Castle, Northamptonshire, England - 1475**

During Christmas I thought about my father. He did sent me the fabrics as he promised and with them came also a note written personally by him.

My mother tried to be happy again, but I knew she was faking all time when I was around her, because as soon as I would turn away she would put a sad face, only that she didn’t know I knew.

She couldn’t accept the fact that my father never really loved her, or that is what he said that day in York. The meeting with Lady Anne was worse for her, to see their son and their incoming child. I wondered if she felt hate and disdain for all of them.

I couldn’t do anything to make her feel better, it was like her world had fallen apart and I couldn’t recognized my joyful, caring, sweet Lady Mother she always been for me.

Recently she also fell ill and I was obliged to dine only with Lord Haute’s presence, and it was ugly for me for we never spoke and the only noise in the room was the silverware.

“Lord Haute, you wanted to see me?” I asked, entering his office room one day, making a little curtsy.

I could never address him as my lord father or as a kin to me. Yes, he was my mother’s husband, but nothing more and I was sure he hated me, even though he never hurt me or treated me bad, after all I was also the niece of the King of England.

“Yes, Kathryn. I sent for you because of your mother.”He told me coolly. He had no particular expression on his face. I got worried immediately.

“She’s very ill and probably she won’t see another dawn.” He then continued and my eyes widened with shock

What he told me left me unsurprised at first. I knew that my mother was unwell, but I thought was heartache, even if we met my lord father months ago. But it wasn’t. Lord Haute explained that she got high fever and the physician wasn’t optimistic about her health. I started to panic in my head.

I didn’t wanted my mother to die and leave me alone in this world. I had no other to look after me, only Lord Haute and I wasn’t enthusiast about this prospect. 

I had just one question in my mind. I was scared to ask, so I bit my lip very hard. The only parent I had now was my father. I wished really hard to be with him from now on, he seemed kind and I was his daughter, he had to take care of me, right?

“The Duke of Gloucester sent a message saying he will take care of you into his household.” He said, probably guessing my thoughts.

I lifted my head and looked at him, trying to understand if it was just me wishing it so much that I made up his words or if it was true. He nodded, making a feeble smile, probably one of the rarest times I saw him smiling.

My mother always told me that he was a good man, that he had this façade that made him look mean or cold-hearted, but he truly wasn’t. She was lucky to have found a man like him, she told her. But she also knew that she always loved and held in her heart her first love, Richard Plantagenet, the man that broke her heart for the last time.

“And you… agreed with my Lord Father wish?” I asked. Even if my father wanted to take me with him under his care, it was up to Lord Haute to decide of my destiny, he was married to my mother and that made him my legitimate guardian, even if she was dying.

“Yes, you are his daughter and you would not be useful to me, you are not a boy.”

I held tightly the folds of my gown at those words. I was little, but it was taught to me that boys were a gift, girls a burden, good only to carry children, possibly boys. One day that will be also my duty. I wasn’t helpful to Lord Haute, but my father could arrange for me a good wedding, he was way more important than him.

“Yes, Lord Haute.” I said and then I asked him if I could see my mother, he agreed and I greeted him with another curtsy.

…

My mother looked pale, she never looked so. She has an olive skin, not like Lady Anne who has a fair skin.

I entered slowly in her chamber and she turned her head to me, smiling.

“Kathryn… come, darling.” She said in feeble voice. I gulped and did as I was told. The maids left us alone and I climbed on the bed to be closer to her, but not too close, Lord Haute warned me could be contagious.

“You are so pretty, my little girl…” She said. There were tears in her eyes, this probably was to be our last conversation.

“I don’t want you to die, mother…” I started to cry and she wiped off my tears with a finger.

“You shouldn’t behave like this, Kathryn, you are the daughter of a Duke, do not forget that.” I nodded, still crying but silently.

“Your father… will he takes you with him, yes?” She then asked, hopeful.

“Yes, mother.” I nodded again.

“Very well, then, you are his firstborn, even if not legitimate. He loves you more than his other two sons.” She said, so sure of that.

I nodded to her affirmation and she stroked my hair gently, “You really remind me of him, my Richard.” She then said, her voice broken like she was about to cry.

She was probably right since my hair was very wavy and black as his.

“Now I need to rest, my Kathryn.” She told me sweetly and she closed slowly her eyes.

I tried to call her but she didn’t answered. I shook her arms but she was not responding to my doing.

Elizabeth heard my screams and cry and ran into the chamber, coming to me directly and taking me into her arms, while I was fighting to be able to go to my mother.

“Calm, Kathryn! She’s gone” She said, trying to calm me down and caressing my head soothingly. I kept on crying for several minutes. Then I saw people taking my mother away with a length of cloth on her.

I held Elizabeth’s hand tight and I wore a black dress for my mother’s death.

At her funeral there were many people that I thought to see. She wasn’t a noble woman, but the village was there and there were also some ladies that knew my mother since before my birth.

When I returned to my chamber I started to wonder when my father would have come to take me away. I wanted to leave this place and never coming back. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New part! Yay!   
This one is very short and i apologize for it.   
Poor Kate,right? I felt sad for her in the novel "The Sunne in Splendour", and i didn't read yet the novel on her, but what do you think about her and Richard? Was it just a one night as his lover or could have been love or a crush?  
I think it could have been a crush, but it was also normal for men to have children and mistresses.


	5. Part 4

**Fotheringhay Castle, Northamptonshire, England – 1475 - Middleham Castle, ** **Middleham, Wensleydale, North Yorkshire, England**

Some days later, at my house, arrived a man.

He was tall, he had light brown hair, blue eyes and he was well dressed. He came to me after getting off his horse. There were other men behind him, with a carriage.

He knelt down in front of me and kissed my hand.

“My name is Francis Lovell, my lady, I’m here to take you at Middleham where your father, the Duke of Gloucester, and his wife the Duchess, are waiting for you.” He said smiling and I did the same, he seemed kind.

“I’m not a Lady, Sir” I called him Sir because I thought he was one of the knights of my father.

“Yes, you are, Lady Kathryn Plantagenet indeed.” He précised and I blushed a little. No one, except for my mother, referred to me as a Lady.

“And if you are ready, I think we can go, we have two days ahead to get to Middleham Castle.”

Yes, I knew that, and I was ready to start a new chapter of my life. Elizabeth was the only one to come with me because she was my nurse since I was a little baby and she’s like a friend to me, as well as she was friend first to my mother.

I turned to see Lord Haute. Probably my mother was right. He was wearing a mask and he suffered for her death, Elizabeth told me that.

I approached him and he looked at me with questioning eyes. “Thank you, Lord Haute.” I said.

“For what, Lady Kathryn?” My eyes widened a little, I was surprised to be call that way from him.

“For loving my mother even if she had me and she could not give you a children of your own.” I said, smiling.

He sighed and he hugged me, something else that surprised me a lot.

“Be grateful of what they’re offering to you. You will be known as his daughter officially, you have to honor your mother.” He told me quietly and I nodded. He smiled a bit and then he went in the house.

I reached for Elizabeth and Sir Francis who helped me to get inside the carriage.

The road was long to Middleham, but I started to dream with my eyes open on what would have be like to live with my father, Lady Anne and my little brother Edward.

Would Lady Anne accept me? I wasn’t her daughter, after all. Even if, when we met in York she seemed so kind and sweet with me. I could never imagine her as a bad person or that could hate me.

“What are you thinking about, Kathryn?” Elizabeth asked me, curious to know what was in my mind in that moment.

“Do you think that Lady Anne will like me?” I asked, rather worried.

“Of course she will, why wouldn’t she? You are a well educated little Lady.”

“But I’m not her daughter.”

“You will be, she’s your father’s wife, Kathryn. It is possible that she will ask you to call her Lady Mother.”

I wasn’t sure I would have been able to do that. I had a mother and she died of fever. I didn't know Lady Anne at all, how could i call her mother?

“Don’t worry” She took my hand in hers and she smiled tenderly. I smiled back and I wasn’t scared that much anymore.

I fell asleep a couple of times and we stopped too before we could reach the Castle of Middleham.

“My Lady, we are arrived.” Informed me Sir Lovell. He helped me again, to get out the carriage this time.

I accepted his hand to help and when I was out I looked toward the entrance of the Castle. There were my father, Lady Anne and little Edward.

Francis never left my hand until we were close to them. It gave me a sense of security somehow.

“My Lord, My Lady, I brought Lady Kathryn here as you requested.” He said and they both smiled.

“You’re welcome here, Kathryn.” My father said, he signaled to Francis to let go of my hand so he could hug me.

I smiled and let my father to hug me, I hold him tightly. I liked my father’s hugs. They were warm and his scent was so familiar to me, I felt like I was at home in his arms. He broke the hug and Lady Anne smiled at me, I made a little curtsy.

“My Lady” I said with regards.

“It is a pleasure to have you here with us, Kathryn, I’m so sorry about your mother.” She then said, she was kind like the last time I saw her. She seemed a bit different though, she had a shade of sadness in her eyes.

“Thank you, Lady Anne.” I thanked her for the kindness she showed to me and right after she explained that a handmaid would have taken me and Elizabeth to my chambers.

Sir Lovell took my things packaged and followed us into the Castle. It was huge!

I was used to my home, it was a Castle too, but not magnificent as this. I felt so little in the enormous corridors. I looked around to catch every single detail that was in front of my eyes.

“Ned, what are you doing here? You should be in the stables.” Francis scolded a young boy, the same boy that was with Lady Anne and Edward that day in York.

“I’m sorry Sir. I was just…” He tried to explain but Francis stopped him and send him away.

The boy looked at me while he ran off. Our eyes met and I felt weird. He was likeable and I blushed seeing that he smiled at me.

“This way, my lady” Francis told me and I followed him and the handmaid that was showing us the way to my chamber.

My chamber was bigger than my old one. There was a perfume of roses and I noticed a bunch of them on the bed. They were all white and fresh, like someone just picked them. I took them in my hands and I brought under my nose to inspire the delightful perfume.

“I’ll leave your dresses here, my Lady. You will join the Duke and the Duchess for supper.” He said before he could take the leave.

When there was just me and Elizabeth, I helped her to set up all my dresses and things I decided to bring with me from home, as my brush, my stuffed dog, and some jewels.

“You should take a bath, Kathryn, to be presentable to your father and the Duchess.”

“Yes, Elizabeth.”

I took the bath and then I wore my favorite dress, the one that my father brought me for my last birthday, now it would suit me better.

The dinner was quiet, except for the noise that cutlery was making on the plates.

“Richard, my love, do you think you can take young Kathryn to show her around? So she can see the beauty of Middleham” Lady Anne asked resting her hand on her husband’s.

He smiled and kissed her hand and then looked at me, “What do you think? Would you like that?” He asked me, smiling.

I nodded, “Yes, I would love that, father.” I answered. It was the first time that I called him father, it felt so natural, like I did it for all my life.

“Very well, then. Tomorrow morning we’ll take my horse to see a bit around, Will you join us too, Anne?” He then asked and Lady Anne smile faded.

“I think I’ll stay here, with Ned.” She just said and also my father seemed sadder, it was like they shared a secret.

“Of course, my dear.” He agreed.

After dinner, I wished them goodnight and went to my chamber. I changed into my nightgown and I was ready to get my hair brushed when someone knocked on the door and Elizabeth went to see who could have been.

“My lady…” She curtsied to Lady Anne and she entered asking Elizabeth to leave us alone for a bit.

It was just the two of us and suddenly I was afraid. Was she going to tell me that she wore a mask all day and that she hated me and the love my father had for me? Did I reminded her the fact that her husband loved another?

She came closer to me and grab the brush from the table. Then she took a strand of my hair and passed the brush on it.

“You are so like your father…” She said, still brushing delicately my hair.

“Yes, my mother, Lady Haute, used to tell me so…” It felt awkward to speak of my mother with the wife of my father.

Her smiled sweetened, “You missed her much, don’t you?”

I nodded and she smiled, “You know, I would like to have a daughter like you, probably right now I would cradle mine… if it wasn’t that it wasn’t meant to be.” She said and I stared at her.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t speak of my troubles, there, now your hair are softer.” She finished to brush my hair and smiled, but I could hear her voice trembling a bit.

I went to my bed and she tucked in the blankets, sitting next to me, “Kathryn, I’d like to get along with you. I’m not pretending to take your mother’s place, but it would make me happy if you will consider me as a mother and maybe call me ‘Lady Mother’ one day.” She said and smiled, but I wanted to be honest with her.

“Lady Anne, I’m so happy that you do not hate me, but it will take some time before I’d be able to consider you like a mother.” I confessed, hoping that she would understand.

“Of course, and please do forgive me. It is just to let you know that if you do call me mother it won’t bother me, you are Richard’s daughter and I cannot not consider you as my daughter too, even if we’re not blood kin.”

She gave me a kiss on the forehead and then she wished me goodnight,

, leaving the chamber soon after and now I was alone. I was in a new bed, a new chamber, a new home. I shouldn’t have been afraid, because I was with my Lord father, but I was, because I realized that I didn’t know him. I lay down with my head on the pillow and I closed my eyes, trying to imagine what would have be like tomorrow and the day after, and slowly I fell asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New part! I published it now cause i won't be at home until next Wednesday.   
So, Kathryn is finally at Middleham Castle, what do you think?? I asked you how do you think Anne would behave with her and i hope you will like my answer. I think that Anne was kind with Richard's children, i'm not saying she did accepted them at once, but i think (i say i think because i don't know this,for now my knowledges are from novels) illegitimate children were often wlcomed in households and i will include this in the story ^^


	6. Part 5

**Middleham Castle, Middleham, Wensleydale, North Yorkshire, England - 1475  
**

The day after, I woke up at the beaming sun from my window. The curtains had been opened by Elizabeth, who was there to wake me up.

“Courage, little Kathryn, it is time to wake up. Have you forgotten what day expects you?” She asks, smiling, and speaking as she was excited.

I rubbed my eyes and thought at her words. I tried to remember what happened the day before and after some seconds I remembered.

I jumped off the bed and run at the window. The sun was up in the sky and greeting me.

“Today I will ride with my father!” I exclaimed happy and Elizabeth smiled again, but reminding me that, even if I was a child, I was still the daughter of a royal Duke and I had to behave as a lady.

I nodded and run to my wardrobe to choose a dress. I wore an old dress, an emerald green one, but so beautiful.

“Let’s go, Elizabeth! I have to go!” I said, more exited and pulling Elizabeth’s hand toward the door.

Outside my chamber there were two guards, and I looked at them a bit intimidated, for I never had not even one at home. I calmed myself and Elizabeth laughed softly.

We went to the Great hall of the castle and I saw my father with Lady Anne in his arms. They were speaking softly, I could see their lips moving, but I couldn’t hear what they were saying. Were they speaking about me? I still was a bit unsure about Lady Anne’s kindness toward me.

One of the guards turned to them and announced me with loud voice. I almost got scared and my heart was beating fast.

My father released the embrace with his wife and smiled widely to me.

“You like to sleep late, don’t you, Kathryn?” He asked, coming towards me. I made a curtsy and walk with him to Lady Anne, who was smiling again, while before she seemed almost destroyed.

“I hope you slept well, Kathryn” She wondered and I nodded.

“Yes, my lady” I answered and she nodded back. She was twisting her fingers and when my father made her notice it, she brought them behind her back.

“Well, I think I will go to the nursery, to make sure Edward is awake and well.” She said then, taking leave.

My father followed her with his eyes until she disappeared in the corridor that would have took her to the nursery.

We went to the stables, instead, and my father showed me all the horses he had. The stableman made a curtsy seeing us and next to him there was also Ned, the boy I saw with Lady Anne and I ran into the day before.

“Well, how is your family, Jeremy?” He asked to the stableman, leaving me and Ned alone.

I watched him, brushing the horse’s mane. He smirked and I blushed.

“What are you looking at, my lady?” He asked and I fixed my gown.

“I’m not a lady…” I précised. I wasn’t either used to call as such.

He frowned and smiled, putting the brush away and caressing the horse.

“But you are the Duke’s daughter” He insisted and I nodded.

“I’m his illegitimate daughter” I précised again. I looked over my father. He was so friendly with a simple stableman. I always thought that nobles looked at commoners from top to bottom because of their importance, but now, they seemed two old friends.

“He must love you much to welcome you in his household, then” He asserted and I smiled, thinking that could have been true. But which were Lady Anne’s feelings for me? She was his wife, she could have purported to have me sent away.

Ned changed the subject of our discussion and took my hand so I could caress the horse too. He saw the fright in my eyes and he reassured me that she, the horse was a she, wouldn’t do anything to harm me.

I smiled, seeing he was right and I started to caress her mane with more decision. In my house at Fotheringhay, I never had a horse and I was scared by them.

“Ah, I see you made acquaintance with your mare” I heard my father’s voice at my back and I turned a little my head, smiling.

My eyes widened when I understood his words. I turned to him and hugged him.

“Really? She is mine?” I exclaimed. Ned knew, because he was smiling too much and he didn’t seemed surprised.

“Well, of course, you need a horse to ride with me or Anne, and in future with your brother Edward” He explained as it was obvious. It wasn’t to me, I probably never had a magnificent gift such thus.

“Thank you, father!” I thanked him and he held me, passing his hand through my hair.

“Ned will teach you how to tidy her and I will send you a tutor for riding, maybe Sir Lovell will be so kind to deal with it personally.” He added. I was more than in agreement in this choice. I didn’t had the chance to know better Sir Lovell, but he seemed a kind and good man.

This made me think that probably my father was surrounded only by good men, and that was good for him.

“Today we’ll go with my horse, are you ready?” He asked and I nodded.

We rode around Middleham and my father showed me all the secret places of his childhood. Places that only him and Lady Anne knew, but he said we had her permission to see them.

“Father… can I ask you something?” I started and he looked rapidly at me and then looked ahead again.

“Of course you can.”

I was so nervous to ask him, but I needed to know.

“I was wondering…Does Lady Anne hate me? If it is so, please don’t send me away, I will be good and I’ll never bother-“

“Stop, Kathryn!” He exclaimed and I gasped, then he relaxed and apologized, “She doesn’t hate you. I cannot say it was easy at the beginning for her the idea of you living here, she didn’t wanted you here, but she knew how much was important for me, especially after your mother’s death…” He started to explain me, “Is just hard for her, for us both. She lost a baby and was a girl” He finished and I felt guilty. She didn’t hate me, she was just hurt because she lost a child and it was a girl, like I am.

I was too much excited at the thought of living here in Middleham with my father and my brother, that I didn’t even noticed she wasn’t carrying a child anymore.

“I’m sorry, father-“

“You didn’t know, Kathryn, but we need to stay by her side, both of us, clear?”

I nodded and we keep on riding until we saw some soldiers coming towards us. They had several flags with the Sun in Splendour. I knew it because my mother told me once, so understood it was the banner of King Edward IV.

My father got off the horse, making sure I couldn’t fall.

“Duke of Gloucester” One of the soldiers said.

“Aye” He answered and the man handed a letter to him.

“The King requires your presence immediately.” He then added and my father nodded.

We went back to the castle, but I couldn’t not think about the expression my father had on his face. After he read the letter, he seemed worried and he didn’t smile, neither when Lady Anne came to greet us once we arrived.

He told Elizabeth to take me back in my chambers and take a bath for lunch, but he didn’t smile.

“Elizabeth… do you think he will go to war?” I asked, while taking the bath. The water was so warm that I relaxed myself in the tub for a moment, but I didn’t forget the events of that morning.

My father was so happy while we were exploring the estate, the only thing that can make a person worried I thought was the war, an imminent one. I didn’t wanted to see my father going to war and fear that he won’t ever come back to me. I barely know him and there’s so much I want to know.

“I don’t know, little Kathryn, did the Duke said anything?”

I shook my head, then Elizabeth kept on talking to me, but I wasn’t listening for I was too much lost in my thoughts.

I couldn’t stop him from going, but maybe Lady Anne could! She was his wife, after all! I needed to speak with her, surely she didn’t wanted to see him go either.

After my bath I dressed up and Elizabeth accompanied me to see her. She wasn’t in her chambers, but in the nursery.

I was announced and Lady Anne smiled and gestured me to be silent, because my brother was sleeping.

I entered the room without Elizabeth. For a while I stared at my step-mother with Edward. She looked at him like he was her most precious treasure. I wondered how was my father with my brother. If he was affectionate to him like she was, could he had been also with me?

Sometimes I imagined, at night, my father wishing me goodnight, telling me a story, one of his favorite maybe; and then he would have kissed me on my forehead.

While I was thinking, I didn’t noticed that Lady Anne got up from the bed and that she was now close to me.

“Come, we need to leave him to rest.” She said, taking my hand and leaving the chamber.

We walked down the corridor to go in the gardens. It was so quiet and also was Lady Anne.

“My Lady, I wanted to ask you something…” I started to say, but she interrupted me with a sweet smile.

“You don’t wish for your father to go to war, am I right?” She asks and my eyes widened a bit. How did she knew it? Did she read my mind?

“It is perfectly normal, Kathryn. You just arrived here and now your father will leave, god knows how much will he stay away…” She explained as she knew what I was thinking.

I could hear a tone of sadness in her voice, I wondered for what she was sad, if for her baby or for the departure of her husband, or maybe for both.

“You see, I don’t want it either. Since we married I never sent him off to war, and I’m scared, but you know how do I give myself courage?” She asked me again and I said no with the tilt of my head.

She smiled and took my hand again, “ I keep repeating to myself that he will come back to me, to us, and that he is strong.”

I listened to her words thinking the same thing. My mother always told me how brave and strong he was. I can’t say it by myself because I am not a soldier, but I believed them.

…

My father left for England for a week, when he came back he said they were to leave for France in Summer. He spoke of his brothers, King Edward and the Duke of Clarence. Lady Anne was quietly listening to him and I was too, because I was sewing with her. My mother never taught me, saying I was too little to learn this women’s work, but Lady Anne told me it was important that I’d learn early, so I could do the perfect shirts for my future husband and clothes for my children.

I hurt with the needle just a couple of times, but Lady Anne assured me that the pain would have passed very soon.

“You are very talented, Kathryn!” She exclaimed, and she seemed truly surprised.

I thanked her and proceeded with my work and new hobby.

With us, sometimes, there was also the Countess, Lady Anne’s mother. She wasn’t my grandmother, but she asked me to consider her such. It was her who spoke to her daughter and convinced her it was for the best that I was here.

She was a broken woman, that I could tell from her face. She was tired and she only lived for her daughters and her grandchildren. The Countess promised me that one day she will tell me her story and the Kingmaker’s, the Earl of Warwick and Lady Anne’s father.

I never saw my father so heated by ambition. He was excited to go to France, saying he wanted to reclaim the lands once were of his family, and his temper made me feel as excited as he was.

“I want to come with you, father!” I exclaimed while Lady Anne, quickly stopped me from getting up and I looked first at her, she had a little smile on her face, then she cleared her voice.

“Nonsense, Kathryn, men goes to war, you know that” She then said, with a more serious face.

My father, instead, smirked. He probably was surprised by my affirmation.

“Once we will have our lands back, I will make sure to bring the finest fabrics and jewelries to both of you.”

He approached us and first he laid his lips gently on his wife’s forehead and then on mine.

We stood up as he left the room and then we sat back, resuming our work. Lady Anne was humming a melody, a melody that I instantly recognized.

“This lullaby… My mother used to sing it to me before going to bed.” I said softly, like the memory was too painful to say it aloud.

She smiled sweetly, looked at me for a moment to focus again on her work after that.

“I sing it to Edward every night, is the only thing that makes him sleep, except for his father. When he’s in his arms or he hears his voice he calms immediately…” She told me and I looked down, interrupting my work with the needle.

After a while I felt Lady Anne’s hand on mine, so I looked up and she started to fix my hair.

“By now you have grown to be picked up by your father, but I think he will agree on wishing you goodnight as he already does for Edward.” She confided.

I immediately felt better. I hadn’t to dream about it anymore, my father would have wished me goodnight. Lady Anne was so kind with me and she had, although she was so young, every quality of a good mother. That I could tell thinking of my own mother.

“Well, I think we can stop now. How about going outside with Edward?” She asked, setting aside the sewing basket and getting up.

I nodded happily and settled everything. We went out in the corridors and I started to run. Lady Anne didn’t rebuked me for it, aside for a couple of times because I was running too fast and she was walking behind me.

I entered the nursery and the nurse was waking up Edward.

“Edward! We are going outside!” I exclaimed happy, running around the bed to greet him.

He was smiling too and he stretched his tiny hand toward me. I grab it and we laugh together.

“My darling boy, how was your nap?” Lady Anne asked, taking Edward in her arms and then putting him with his feet on the ground.

“He sleeps a lot, my Lady” I observed and she smiled.

“Well, he needs his naps, he’s still little”

This time I didn’t run down the corridors, but I walked alongside them. While we were leaving the castle, Lady Anne ordered to bring out a cloth and some food outside, so we could have had a pic nic near the trees.

There were also some children from the village of Middleham playing with me, while Edward stayed most of the time on his mother’s lap.

“Lady Anne! We are playing at being at the court, and we decided you would be a beautiful Queen” I said, a little shy to the Lady and she was quite surprised.

“Why you don’t play the Queen?” She asked me back and I didn’t know how to answer that.

I don’t know how a noble woman, or better a Queen, should be, while Lady Anne surely had met the Queen before, so she could have acted like her, and she was beautiful like one.

“You remind me of a Queen, Lady Anne” I just said and she stopped asking me questions on the matter and accepted the flower crown I made for her.

“I presume you will be Princess Kathryn, then” She then said with a tone of voice full of authority, but still smiling.

“I can’t be a princess, your majesty” I said, addressing her as we were already playing.

“Sure you can, you are my step daughter, so you can be a princess. Let’s put a flower crown on your head too.” She then said, picking the flowers and starting the making of my tiara.

“And my father will be the King?” I then asked.

“Of course, oh, look! He is coming right now.” Her face lightened up seeing my father coming toward us.

I made a little curtsy and he rested a hand on my head, then he kissed on the cheek Edward and his wife.

“What were you doing?”

“Kathryn was playing at being to the court, and gently asked me to play the Queen, so, my dear, you have to be the King” She explained and I saw my father stiffening a bit,

“You know is not right towards the current rulers, my brother and his Queen… Children are allowed to, but they could blame us of treason.” He said, serious and Lady Anne smiled briefly, but she had a serious face too.

“Is just a game, Richard, and your daughter wanted to play altogether, should have I said no, perhaps?”

He shook his head and kissed her cheek again, “I’m leaving for London tomorrow.” He sighed 

“Again?” She said, she seemed, and probably she was, annoyed. 

“We need to discuss more about the campaign.” He just said, without adding details. He then left us to do his work as Lord of the North before leaving.

We stayed until it was time for supper. My father didn’t dined with us, he said he was too busy to even eat in that moment.

Elizabeth escorted me in my chamber and helped me to get ready for bed.

“Elizabeth…”

“Yes, Kathryn?” She asked while taking the brush from the drawer.

“Can you ask to Lady Anne to come and brush my hair?” I asked softly. I loved Elizabeth, but I wanted to get closer to Lady Anne, maybe doing so, soon I would have been able to call her Lady Mother.

She smiled and nodded, and while she was leaving to call Lady Anne, I straightened my back on the chair and look myself in the mirror. I wondered what exactly of me reminded my father to both my mother and his wife. I couldn’t see any resemblance between us.

“Kathryn” I heard and I turned my back, smiling at Lady Anne.

She came closer and took the brush. After a while I closed my eyes, relaxing at the feeling of my hair being brushed delicately.

“Lady Anne…”

“Yes?”

I opened my eyes and looked at her in the reflection of the mirror. I turned the nightgown between my fingers and played a bit the hem of it, for my agitation.

“In what I am like my father?”

She looked at me inquisitively and I tried to explain myself.

“Everyone are saying that I look like him, but I can’t really see him when I look at the mirror.” And by everyone I only meant her and my own mother.

She placed the brush on the top drawer and rested her hands on my shoulders, making my eyes to meet hers in the mirror.

“Well, your hair are like his, your gentle eyes too… And I can say you are just as brave as him.” She said, kissing my hair softly.

“Thank you” I smiled and then I went to bed. We waited for a bit, and my father finally arrived.

Lady Anne wished me goodnight first and then she said to him that she would have waited outside, to leave us alone.

“You and Anne are getting well along, I see" He said and I nodded, smiling.

He sat on the side of the bed and moved a lock of my hair away from my face. He was smiling, but seemed sad at the same time.

“I’m really happy that you are here, Kathryn, and also Anne is. I can say she’s healing very fast from our loss. Thanks to you.”

It was true. Lady Anne was happier than the first days I was here.

“I am too, Father.” I simply answered and he gave me a kiss on the forehead.

“Goodnight, Kathryn” He pulled up the covers and I wished him goodnight back.

…

I was walking down the corridors with Elizabeth and one of the ladies of Lady Anne stopped us, saying I was required in her presence so we followed her.

“Ah, Kathryn! I wanted to be the first to tell you” She was smiling widely and her voice sounded pretty excited, so I couldn’t wait to hear what she had to tell me.

“Before we leave for England, I wanted to tell you that when we will be back here, there will be another brother or sister for you and Edward”

I was so happy to hear the news of a new brother or sister. I was already hoping for a sister, so we could have played together and I started to fantasize about it.

“Where is now?” I asked and she smirked, placing her hands on her stomach and I was curious. How can my brother or my sister be in Lady Anne’s stomach?

“Now you can’t see it, but you will in the next months.”

“I want tell father about my new brother or my new sister!” I exclaimed, excited and she took my hand.

We went to search for my father and he was in his chamber, he rarely used it to sleep, I knew that he always slept in his wife’s chamber, but sometimes he was too tired and slept there, but he principally use this chamber for his work as Lord of the North.

“Lord father!” I said with a loud voice entering the room with Lady Anne.

“Kathryn, Anne, what is happening?” He asked, rather surprised.

Lady Anne looked at me and we both smiled like two accomplices.

“Well, what is it?” He asked again, encircling the waist of his wife with his arm.

“Lady Anne has a baby in her stomach!” I reveled in the end and my father looked first at me with shiny eyes and then at his wife who was already crying of happiness.

“This is a wonderful news, oh, I love you so much, Anne!” They kissed on the lips and I smiled happy. It was a different kiss from the one he shared with my mother. I could sense that they really loved the other from a simple kiss.

My father now had one more reason to come back home from France.


	7. Part 6

**London 1475**

We left Middleham in May. The Countess and my brother Edward stayed at the castle, because his health was delicate and Lady Anne was worried he could have fallen ill during the trip to London.

The Queen sent a letter, inviting Lady Anne to stay in London while the King and his brothers were off to war. She wasn’t very pleased, but she told me that she had to, she had to show her support to Queen Elizabeth.

It wasn’t an easy trip for both. It took three days to arrive and Lady Anne had a baby in her belly so she had to stop quite a lot on the road.

“My Lady, will I see the Queen too?” I asked softly and she smiled sweetly.

“Of course, my dear, you will see the Queen and also your cousins.”

I gasped with huge surprised. I forgot that I might had a lot of cousins. I didn’t know how many, but I heard some gossips around the village where I lived and in Middleham and they said the King, when he was at court, never left his wife’s bed. I always wondered what that meant, but I supposed it was about their children.

I knew of princess Elizabeth, I couldn’t wait to meet her. I’ve heard a lot about her and I wanted to be her friend, aside of being her cousin.

I also knew Lady Anne had a sister named Isabel and she was married to my uncle George, Duke of Clarence, and I guessed they probably had children too.

“Sadly my sister’s children won’t come at court, they are too little” Lady Anne anticipated again my curiosity and I sighed, slightly disappointed.

When we arrived at court, we were immediately presented to the Queen.

“Lady Anne, it is a pleasure to have you here… and who is the young girl with you?” Queen Elizabeth greeted us and we raised from our deep curtsy.

“It is for me a pleasure, your majesty. She’s my step daughter, Kathryn.” Lady Anne answered, pulling me a little bit closer to her.

Queen Elizabeth narrowed a little her eyes and then smiled widely.

“Oh yes, she looks just as the Duke of Gloucester.” She commented and I looked better at her.

She had golden blonde hair, held by gold ribbons. Her eyes were blue and her lashes were thick, like dragons.

“Elizabeth!” The Queen called her eldest daughter and the girl ran toward them. She made a curtsy to us and we did the same.

“Elizabeth, dear, why don’t you show Kathryn around the castle? She’s your cousin” She then asked kindly and her daughter smiled, she seemed excited.

Princess Elizabeth came to me and took my hand, “Oh, another cousin, I am so happy! Please, come with me” She said and I smiled too, nodding shyly.

We ran into the corridors of the castle and Elizabeth showed me every room I needed to see. We played with her dolls, I was so amazed by how many she had of them, and each was different from the other.

“If you want, you can have this one” She told me, pointing at the doll I had in my hands.

“I can’t, Princess Elizabet-“ I started to say. I couldn’t accept the gift from the princess.

“Call me Elizabeth, we’re cousin, after all” She smiled and I smiled back. “And Uncle Richard is my favorite, he is so kind to me and he is so brave, almost as my father.” She said proudly of her own father.

She was right. I probably didn’t know him as Elizabeth, and I saw him for little time, since he had business to attend here in London or in the North, but not at home. But I knew he was kind, because he was in those few days I could spend my time with him. I found myself feeling a little jealous of my cousin. Did he treated her as his own daughter? As she was me? All the gifts he could have given to me, instead he gave them to her?

All this thoughts were interrupted by two girls, they were both blonde and I guessed they were Princess Mary and Princess Cecily.

“Mary! Cecily! This is our cousin, Kathryn, Uncle Richard’s daughter” Elizabeth exclaimed excited, while I was trying to send away the images of my father being like a father to Elizabeth.

“Are you all right?” Mary asked me gently, looking directly in my eyes, and that made me jump a bit.

“Y-yes, Princess Mary” I answered, and she pouted.

“Call me just Mary, I am your cousin too!” She commanded and I apologized.

Cecily stepped between us and folded her arms over her chest.

“She isn’t. I’ve heard you are a bastard” She spat out with malice.

Elizabeth and Mary reacted before I could say anything. I know very well what that word meant and I never liked it. Yes, I was indeed a bastard, because my mother wasn’t married to my father, but he loved me as I was little Edward. Or at least I thought he did.

“Cecily! You can’t speak like that! She’s our cousin!” Elizabeth yelled, scolding her little sister, but Cecily just left the chamber.

Mary came close to me again and rested a hand on my shoulder. I smiled and we kept on playing.

Later on I went to my chamber, I had my personal even here, and it was huge just as the one in Middleham.

I stared at the dolls that Elizabeth gave me. I couldn’t believe we played together and that she and Mary considered me part of their family. I didn’t cared that Cecily was mean to me, my mother taught me how to be strong and to not mind mean people.

I heard a knock on the door and I got up from the bed.

It was Lady Anne, she was already smiling when she came in, but I could say she was terribly tired.

“My Lady, shouldn’t you rest? And also my sister.” I was hoping that the baby Lady Anne was carrying was a girl, a sister to me to play together with my dolls and, since I was so sure about it, Lady Anne told me to refer to the baby as my sister,

“Yes, I will. But first, I wanted to make sure you are good. My first time at the palace wasn’t easy.”

She told me, leading me to my bed and making me seat on it, with her beside me.

“Can you tell me about it?” I asked her.

“Well, yes. I was about your age and my cousin Edward, your father’s brother, became King.” She started to tell me.

“I was the Kingmaker’s Daughter and…”

“Why your father was called such?” I asked and then blushed because I interrupted her abruptly.

“Don’t worry. He was called the Kingmaker because he put Edward on the throne of England, then he put the Mad King, then… he died.”

She interrupted for a few seconds. Speaking of her father was probably an open wound for her.

“But, I was his daughter, alongside my sister Isabel, and that made us the most important ladies in England. I was just five, and I felt so out of place here. I preferred my home in the North instead of this palace full of strangers, except for my family…”

While she was speaking, I tried to imagine a little Lady Anne, just like me, intimidated by this palace and all the people in it.

“… then I met Richard, my cousin and your father.”

I gasped at the mention of him,

“and you fell in love with him? And he did too? How was he?” I asked so many questions altogether that Lady Anne burst out laughing.

“Calm now, Kathryn. He was a very silent young boy and I used to follow him around. Many times he told me how I was annoying, but deep down I knew he enjoyed my company. And we didn’t fell in love at that age.” She smiled, thinking of her memories that now she also shared with me.

I wanted to know more about my father and about his life, how he knew Lady Anne was to be his wife, the reason why he chose her and not my mother.

“That is a good story, Lady Anne, but I like here. I played all day with my cousins Elizabeth and Mary.” I explained and she smiled.

“Good. Well, now it is time that I go to sleep, and so you should, I’ll send Elizabeth to prepare you for bed.” She kissed me on the forehead and left the chamber.

That night I found it hard to sleep. I kept having these nightmares with my father saying he did not cared about me. Elizabeth, my nurse, was next to my chamber so she came as soon as I woke up in tears and screams.

I asked her to see Lady Anne and she didn’t say anything, she just smiled and escorted me to her chamber.

“Kathryn, dear, what happened?” She asked me, when I was beside her bed, she seemed truly worried about me.

I was still in tears and I couldn’t stop from sobbing.

“I… I miss mother and… can I sleep with you Lady Anne?” I asked between my tears and she nodded.

We hugged and she rested a hand on my head, caressing my hair.

“Mother…” I whispered, but in that moment I didn’t realized it wasn’t my mother the woman next to me.


	8. Part 7

**London 1475**

Days, weeks, we rarely had news from my father and my sister was growing day after day. When I wasn’t with Lady Anne, and other ladies, sewing I was with my cousins Elizabeth and Mary.

Me and Mary had a similar character so we bonded a bit more than with Elizabeth. I think she didn’t like it, every time me and Mary were laughing, she would take me by my hand, all smiling and made me play with her. I guess she was jealous.

“So, Kathryn, now we will play at the court. I will be the Queen of England and you shall be one of my ladies in waiting” She said, taking a fur. She explained that it was made just like her mother’s during her coronation.

“Yes, your majesty” I replied, and bowing to her, she was perfectly fitted in her role as Queen, for a moment I thought I saw her mother, Queen Elizabeth.

“And who’s the King?” Asked Mary, she bowed too.

Elizabeth brought her index finger under her chin and thought for a bit, then all smiling she replied.

“Uncle Richard will be my King” She stated, I gasped and I stopped listening to her saying how it was right that he wasn’t here because a good King fight for his kingdom.

“You can’t marry my father, he’s married to Lady Anne” I explained calmly.

“I know, but he said that if I was playing as I was the Queen he would have been my King.” She proudly said.

“He can’t! You are just a girl and he loves Lady Anne!” I yelled this time and Elizabeth shut her mouth just to come close to me.

“Kathryn, I am the Queen, so I decide who will play the King.”

I didn’t realized I was crying when I ran away. Elizabeth, my nurse, was always with me, and in that moment she was just outside the chamber of the princess, and seeing me running she followed.

“Kathryn” I stopped running when I saw Lady Anne, she was with her sister, Lady Isabel, Duchess of Clarence.

I tried to stop crying but, when she asked me what was wrong, I couldn’t hold my tears. She took me in her chamber and I lay down on her bed.

“Anne, why did you take that… that girl in your house?” I heard Lady Isabel asking, she was speaking with a low voice but I could hear anyway.

“She’s my step-daughter and I am starting to love her as she is mine.”

I smiled, glad that Lady Anne’s sentiments were sincere.

“But she’s… Richard had her with another woman, that Kate” Lady Isabel continued and I started to get angry again. She obviously disliked my mother, is like she couldn’t even mentioned her name, and yet she did.

I heard Lady Anne sighing and then she replied, “I know, and I hated Richard at first, two children before our marriage, but was indeed before, and now he’s faithful to me” She started and I could say her voice was a bit sad, but then I could hear her smiling.

“I didn’t wanted her at first, but then I remembered Richard’s expression when we met her in York. He told me everything that happened with Kate and I forgave him.”

“Anne, she is a bastard, is not the daughter you lost!” continued her sister and then I heard for the first time the sound of my Lady Anne being angry.

“Isabel, don’t you dare called her that way, and do not speak to me in that manner.”

When Isabel Neville was out of the room, I decided to raise up and to speak with Lady Anne.

“Oh, Kathryn, do not worry, everything is fine” She reassured me and then she sat beside me. “Now, tell me what bothered you.”

I told her how Elizabeth made me angry by saying that, since she was the Queen in our game, she could have decided who was the King and that she chose my father, and how she persisted in her decision even if I was contrary.

Lady Anne laughed and I frowned. Why was she laughing? I was speaking of her husband, as Elizabeth’s King in her stupid game.

“Do not worry about that. Elizabeth likes to be in the center of attention of everyone and Richard has spoiled her too much, just as everyone else. She got too attached to him and now he has to pretend to play with her. She’s a little girl, she will grow and forget about it.”

“What if she doesn’t?” I asked and Lady Anne was surprised by my question but smiled warmly soon after.

“I won’t blame her if she doesn’t, he’s a charming man and kind, after all” She told me and then “But you should not worry with these matters at your young age” she finished and I smiled.

I decided to go to Elizabeth to apologize. Lady Anne was right, we were children and she was my cousin, I didn’t wanted to be in bad terms with her.

She probably had the same idea, because I saw her walking down the corridor, still with her fur on the shoulders. But now she hadn’t that satisfied expression on her face, she was sad.

“Kathryn…”

“Elizabeth, I wanted to ask sorry for my behavior” I said before she could have said anything else and she smiled, taking my hands in hers.

“I have to apologize, Kathryn, it is all new to you now and I made you angry. It is not a good cousinly behavior and I want to be also friends, not just cousins.” She explained and I smiled, then she hugged me tightly and took the fur off her shoulders to put it on mine.

“There. Now you are the Queen, Queen Kathryn” She announced in a solemn way and bowing to me.

Me a Queen? I never thought about this possibility. Yes, my father was a royal Duke, in the succession line as the King’s brother, but my uncle Edward had two sons now and neither my father or my uncle George would have the chance to get closer to the throne anytime soon. And even if my father was to be the King, one day, I would never be the Queen after him, because he has little Edward as his legitimate heir.

“Aren’t you going to say anything? A Queen must do speeches, and she must smile in any occasion.” She explained, as she had studied a manual on how a Queen must behave and must do. She probably had, actually, since I knew that royal princesses learn a lot of different subjects, Elizabeth must have learned how to be a Queen, in case she will be one in the future.

I tried to smile and she rejoiced. We went to call Mary and we played together. I did missed my new home in Middleham, my new horse, my brother and Ned, but I had fun with my cousins here in London.


	9. Part 8

**London, 1475**

Summer began and my father sent letters more often, he wanted to know how Lady Anne, I, and the child were. I didn’t read the rest of them, but Lady Anne told me that he was a bit upset for what was happening in France: nothing. No war, no glory for him, no victory.

I was of no better sentiments, I started to hate of being here at the palace, with all the ladies and the Queen, whom never wasted time on judging me by only staring at me, she probably thought I was a bad company for her daughters, who were instead legitimate and princesses, even though it was her idea that Elizabeth had to play with me.

All I wanted now was to be in Middleham, with my brother and with my horse. Ned’s job was to teach me how to care after her, but he never had the chance to start with my training. I found I quite missed that boy, even if we barely had spoken.

I often dedicated my thoughts to my mother, but I didn’t felt lonely now that Lady Anne was with me, she was like a mother to me, still I wasn’t ready to call her such.

“Where is your mind, Kathryn?” She asked me, while we were sewing some shirts.

“Nowhere, my Lady.” I simply answered, but Lady Anne wasn’t satisfied of my reply and she looked right in my eyes, like she was searching for a better answer, and when she seemed she found something, she retrieved and she smiled.

“You miss home, aye?” She asked this time and I nodded slowly, blushing a little. It seemed that Lady Anne had a magic power, the one that permitted her to understand people’s minds.

“Yes, and my brother too.” I added and she caressed my hair, resting her embroidery work on her lap.

“I miss my son too, but we will see him soon and also your father.” She reassured me. I was, since there were no signs of a war with French, my father would have returned safe and sound, but what about his temper? Would he return as a different man?

I smiled a little to my Lady Anne, but then I saw a sudden grimace of pain in her face and instantly she brought a hand on her stomach.

“Lady Anne, what is happening?!” I gasped, with worry. Then I brought my own hand on my mouth with shock, letting fall my needle and the thread attached to it.

Blood was dripping and the tears joined the pain she was already experiencing. I didn’t know what to do, I wanted to help her but I was only almost five and I thought she was dying. I ran out the chamber, searching for help. When I found some ladies I started to cry out that Lady Anne was dying and that she was losing blood. One of them was Lady Isabel, Lady Anne’s sister, and she calmed me down.

I waited outside the chamber where I left my Lady, and where the ladies ran into with hurry. I was seated on the floor, with my knees tight to my chest. My cheeks were dry with tears, my head was aching. I didn’t know if my step mother was still alive, if my sister was still alive. I thought of little Edward, he couldn’t lose his mother so young, I lost mine recently and I am older than him, I know what happened, what would I tell him? Would he understand a matter like death?

When the door opened I jumped on my feet, it was Lady Isabel. She had a little, but sad, smile on her face. I was waiting for her to speak and when she told me that Lady Anne was alive I breathed a sigh of relief, but then she told me that my sister, that was actually a brother, died.

She led me into the chamber, Lady Anne was under the clean sheets, there were still cloths full of blood and I saw one of the women taking away a bundle that was my brother.

“Kathryn” I turned my eyes to her figure. She was so pale, I never saw her in this state and I slowly approached her bed.

“It is my fault, my Lady” I said softly but she heard it and frowned feebly.

“What? Why are you saying such thing?” She asked me, seemed confused by my affirmation.

“I had to be faster and my brother-“

“Do not blame yourself. It is my fault, Kathryn, my body can’t carry children anymore.” She told me, taking my hand and with the other she wiped my eyes.

“You have been a good child, and I do not feel alone with you here. Why should I want another son or another daughter when I have you and your brother John when he will reach us in Middleham?” She said through tears and I looked up.

“My… my brother John?” I asked, maybe I heard wrong but she confirmed that what I heard was correct.

She meant it to be a surprise for me and father, but now she couldn’t keep it from me. I was so happy to hear it. I was to meet also my brother John once we would have been home.

“Kathryn, will you do me a favor?” She then asked and I nodded, “Do not mention this to your father, I will tell him.” I nodded again, understanding her request.

It passed another month, but finally we saw the King returning. Me and Elizabeth were outside, playing with our dolls and we saw the army coming closer to the gates.

We ran, searching for the Queen, to announce it and we did. Lady Anne was not in bed anymore, and she went pale at sudden. I stood by her side and she took my hand.

“Are you ready, Kathryn?” She asked me and I nodded smiling.

We took our cloaks and we went outside, following the wave of people that was cheering for the King’s return.

Lady Anne left my hand and approached her husband. I saw them kissing and speaking. I didn’t expected for Lady telling him about their unborn son, although he had to ask about it since she told me, weeks before of what happened, she was half of her pregnancy and her belly was already rounded. I also felt his first little kick.

When they were closer I heard my father asking about me and I tried to put on my best smile and ran toward him.

“Father!” I exclaimed and he took me into his arms.

“Kathryn, I trust you behaved well with your cousins, and your Queen” He said and I nodded, letting Lady Anne to confirm it.

We entered the palace and we went to their chambers, where Lady Anne slept until now.

There was a bath prepared and I dismissed myself when my Lord father asked about his unborn son, placing his hands on Lady Anne’s belly. Before I could exit, I saw his face blank, feeling that her belly was flat and not rounded as he expected it to be.

I don’t know what happened next, I can only guess that she told him and they probably cried wrapped in each other arms. They faced this before, and they recovered from it.

When we dine with the King and the court, they were silent and they couldn’t hold hands because they were not seated next to the other, but my father loved her, I could see that in his eyes.

We left for Middleham the morning after and the trip in the carriage was quiet. My father was riding next to us and sometimes he made sure we were all right.

I didn’t liked all this silence, it was awful, but we all would be all right, I knew that before Lady Anne could squeeze my hand and smile at me.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally a new part, uh? ^^   
This was a sad one, i believe Anne had other pregnancies but she didn't had other children so... and I choose this moment to have a miscarriage because in the series it gave me the thought she just had one.  
Hope you like it, i'll try to post soon next time ;)


	10. Part 9

**Middleham Castle, Middleham, Wensleydale, North Yorkshire, England**

It was a September sunny day, and I couldn’t sleep much the night before, because this was my first birthday in Middleham. I count the days until today since a week and my father promised a celebration in our castle, worthy of a princess. Sadly the King, the Queen and my cousins wouldn’t come to celebrate, but probably I would have the opportunity of meeting my other cousins, Margaret and Edward.

I joined Lady Anne for the preparation and I enjoyed much because it was all for me. We chose the rugs for the pavements of the great hall where we would have taken the banquet, then we made the menu with all my favorite foods.

Lady Anne was kind with everyone, she wasn’t a severe mistress, and it seemed that the sad event of last month was almost forgotten. Of course it wouldn’t have been completely because we all remembered everyone in our prayers, and my little unborn brother, with my sister, were never forgotten at all.

I couldn’t see much my father, he was busy ruling the North, but he would always bring me some gifts to forgive himself with me, his wife and also with his son, because little Edward was growing up and he started to be jealous of my gifts from father.

“Now, we need a new dress for you” Lady Anne told me. Her personal seamstress came to the Castle to take my measures. I chose the fabrics with Lady Anne. I wanted it to be green, it was a color that Lady Anne wore a lot and I wanted to be just like her for one day.

“We have finished here and I have to go on check how’s Edward, why don’t you go in the stables? Guinevere is waiting for you, and also Ned is.” She told me once I was out of the dress, which had to be ultimate yet, and back in mine.

I smiled widely and ran out of the castle to go to the stables where there was Ned, who was brushing the mane of a horse.

“Finally, Kathryn!” He exclaimed and I pouted a bit, he laughed and hand me another brush.

“Guinevere, come, your Lady has arrived.” He said, pulling the reins and I was always excited to see my beautiful mare.

She nitride and snorted and I smiled, I knew this was her way to say “hi” and I approached her very slowly, not because I was afraid of her, but because I knew she was always on high alert.

I started to brush her mane and caress her back while doing it, so I would calm her, Ned taught me it.

“So, no war with France?” Ned asked me and my smile faded.

“No, but I’m glad of it. I was afraid for my father’s sake” I said, and I heard him smile.

“Why are you smiling?” I stopped brushing, but kept on caressing her. 

“Nothing, is just so womanly to be afraid of war” He then said and I felt a bit offended by his comment.

“I am sure you would be worried too if it was your father, Ned!” I exclaimed, frowning and pouting.

Also his smile faded and then he smiled again, his eyes were sad though.

“I do want him to have glory in battle, but I would like to know him better first.” I continued, keeping on brushing Guinevere.

I know he was, very busy, and he didn’t even had the time to be with his legitimate son, so why should be different for me? But we still had those moments, in the evening, where we could spend it like a family. We would play cards, speaking of everything we had in mind, Edward would play with his wooden toys and crawl to me to be taken in my arms.

“The Duke is a good person, i am sure he will manage to spend more time with you and your brother.”

I smiled at that, it was true, my father really was and I was happy of being his daughter.

“You know, I have another brother, John” I said, arching my eyebrow.

Ned was astonished by this new information. I wondered if Ned had any sister or brother, he never speak of himself. Even I knew very little, in fact nothing, of him, he was my best friend. Ten thousand times I preferred to pass my afternoons with him instead of sewing with other ladies or study Latin and writing.

“I wonder when I will be able to ride Guinevere” I wondered aloud and Ned smiled.

“You are too little to ride by yourself. And Sir Lovell isn’t here now.”

He was right. Sir Lovell wasn’t my official tutor of riding, but he gladly helped me when he was here, not riding Guinevere, i only rode some ponies because ‘I was too little’ as Ned reminded me.

I came up with an idea, and I let drop the brush, going to Ned and taking his hands, making drop also his brush.

“Ned, why don’t we ride Guinevere?” I asked him, pleading him and he looked at me for a moment, then he sighed and saddled her. He mounted and took my hand, helping me getting up too. I was seated before him, with my back on his chest, my top head was almost under his chin and he let me put my hands on his which were holding the reins.

“We will go slow, Kathryn, Guinevere isn’t used to rides, so it will be a sweet walk.”

I snorted but I agreed. I wanted to go fast as men do and as my father does. Ned pulled a little the reins and she started to walk. It was like I was flying and my heart was racing very fast in my chest, I thought it might have exploded. I felt the same when there was my father, but Guinevere was my horse and somehow it was a complete different feeling.

“I love this, Ned” I said.

We went around the gardens and then we were again in the stables. Ned got off first to help me and I thanked him.

“Kathryn” I heard my father’s voice so I turned and I ran to hug him and he opened his arms as soon as I was close to him.

“Did you went for a ride with Guinevere?” He asked me, looking first at me and then at Ned, who looked a little scared and I wondered why, we didn’t do anything wrong.

“Yes, father, Ned made her go slow, because she isn’t used to rides.” I explained smiling and he smiled back.

“Good, but next time I would like you to wait for Francis, he will tell me when you will be ready to ride Guinevere.” He told me, caressing my hair and I nodded. “Now, go to your chambers, we have guests today.”

It wasn’t something new to me, we had many guests at the Castles. Nobles from the North and whole England were coming to Middleham to greet my father and Lady Anne, there were a lot of banquets and I played with other children.

I heard also some proposal from noble men to engage me with their sons, but my father always denied them, he said I was too little to think of marriage now. I didn’t know what was marriage about, I thought it was like my mother’s with Lord Haute or my father’s with Lady Anne, but they were older than me. Should I have waited so long before I could marry too?

That night I entered the dining room, being announced as always along my brother Edward, who was holding hand with his nurse. Lady Anne came to take us next to her. My father was distant from us, but I know he couldn’t seat next to us, it was a protocol I think.

“Your graces, may I introduce Lord John of Gloucester.” The herald announced with loud voice and I turned my head, quite surprised by the name I heard.

Lady Anne knew, she smiled at me and I looked at her, when she nodded I jumped off my chair, Elizabeth coming after me. I reached for that black haired boy that reminded of myself so much. He seemed of my same age too.

“Hello” I said, holding back my enthusiasm.

“Hello, my lady” He said and I tried to hold back a laugh

“You don’t have to call me Lady, I’m your sister, John” I said and I wanted to hug him, but he was shy and there were too many looking at us.

“Come, you will seat with me and with Lady Anne.” I said then and he followed me, a little intimidated by our guests, probably.

He sat beside me and I saw our father smiling.

Right after dinner, we were already playing together. Edward looked a bit confused, he probably needed to know better his brother before giving him trust as he did with me.

That night I wanted to sleep with John, but Elizabeth said I couldn’t. He would had his own chamber, and he was a boy. I wondered if he would share his chamber with Edward when he was grown up.

“It isn’t fair.” I declared, crossing my arms, and Elizabeth laughed.

I wanted to spend more time with my brother John. We looked so similar, we both had our father’s look. I wondered if that hurt Lady Anne, to have another child of her husband and some other woman.

“Elizabeth” I called her, and she helped me to get under the sheets.

“Yes, Kathryn?”

“Do you think that Lady Anne will love John as she loves me?” I asked. It was the first time that I was using the word ‘love’ to describe what bonded me and Lady Anne, at first I wasn’t sure, but now I know she really loves me as she was my mother and I wanted her to feel the same for my brother.

“Well, it can take time, but the Duchess is a very kind woman and she will love your brother as it was her who gave birth to him.” She told me softly, smiling and I did the same. Yes, that was my thought too, and it was good to hear it saying from someone else.

This night my father couldn’t make it to wish me goodnight, but Lady Anne was always there and I was grateful to have a stepmother like her.

…

The next days many gifts were sent to the Castle, gifts for me and I was so happy. I never had so many, so at first it was odd, but exciting at the same time.

Of course it couldn’t be all rose and flowers. My father wouldn’t have been here for the celebrations. The King called him at court and it was the week of my birthday. I was pretty sad when he told me, he said he was sorry and that if it was in his powers he would have stayed, but when the King calls, you must answer him. I understood his duties as the important Lord he was, but deep it was the most important thing for me to celebrate with my father.

“I am sorry, Kathryn, I hope this would do to forgive me for my absence.” He said, handing me a necklace. It had a red jewel and it was beautiful.

“I gave this to your mother when she had you, and I asked Lord Haute to send it to me, I think it is right that you keep it.”

I felt my eyes almost full of tears but I held them back, I was a Lady, and I could almost hear my mother and my stepfather saying it to me.

“Thank you, father” I said softly and he planted a kiss on my cheek. In that moment I felt the impulsive urge to hug him, I wanted to stay in his arms longer, I didn’t cared if that was a Lady less behaviour, I was a child wanting her father to hug her.

When I was about to do it, he got up and turned around and Lady Anne stopped me from taking me from my shoulders and she knelt down.

“Do not worry too much, Kathryn, your father has a duty towards our King, you should be proud of him.” She said softly so that I could only hear and I nodded, sad of course.

She got up again and took me by my hand, “Come now, we have the last preparations for your birthday celebration to do” She smiled and I looked back a couple of times.

In the afternoon, my aunt ( she was since her husband George was my father’s brother) and my cousins Margaret and Edward arrived. My uncle didn't came too because, as my father, he had been called by the King.

After the miscarriage of Lady Anne I thought that aunt Isabel would have been kinder to me, but as soon as she got out from her carriage, she looked at me like I was what I was, a bastard child.

I was worried that she wouldn’t have let me play with her children, well at least with Margaret who was two years old, like my brother. But Lady Anne insisted that we should, we were cousins, after all, and Lady Isabel couldn’t say no to her, not in public.

Margaret, even if was little, she really reassembled her mother. I hadn’t the chance to see my uncle, the Duke of Clarence, yet, he didn’t reached London on the way back from France and Lady Isabel went away from court when Lady Anne felt better.

With John we played hide and seek, while little Edwards were playing together, alongside their mothers, because they were too little to play with us.

I observed all the servants bringing the decorations in the dining room, where we would have the banquet and the cook let me took some bread. It was warm and its perfume inebriated me, and, most important, it was delicious.

And when the sun started to disappear, I watched, from one of the windows, that the guests were arriving, some by their foot, some on their horses, and some in carriages.

I started to jump around and Elizabeth shared my excitement. “If just your mother could see this. They are all here to celebrate you, Kathryn”.

I smiled. Yes, they were here to celebrate me, a common child that happened to be the daughter of one of the royal Dukes, and he was also the protector of the North for the King, as was Lady Anne’s father before him.

“Kathryn, come, it is time” Lady Anne arrived and took me by the hand. We were both dressed in green, Neville’s colours, and we seemed just like mother and daughter.

I had flowers in my head, white roses as to represent the House of my Lord father. I heard everyone clapping while I entered the room. At first I felt intimidated by all these people I didn’t know, but then I smiled.

After the dinner we went to the great hall, where the musicians started to play their instrumentals and people were dancing while I received other presents.

“My lady” I heard a familiar voice. It was Lord Haute.

“Lord… I didn’t expected to see you here”

“This unpleased you, my lady?”

It was odd to hear my stepfather calling me ‘Lady’ and how much I wasn’t happy with him when my mother was alive, I couldn’t hate him.

“Of course not. You are welcome, Sir.” I said then and he smiled a bit. He made a curtsy and joined the party.

Lady Anne was sat next to me and took my hand, smiling at me. “Are you happy, Kathryn?” She asked me, and I nodded.

“Very well, I wish that your mother was here too…” She confided me and I frowned. I was a bit confused, I thought she hated my mother. She was her husband’s lover before their marriage.

“Lady Anne, can I ask you something?” I spoke after a while and she nodded, waiting for my question, though I think she already knew my question.

“Have you known my mother?” At first she seemed hurt, even if was expected, but then she smiled again.

“Your mother was my best friend, Kathryn” She revealed me and I shocked. I couldn’t believe it. How they were best friends? What happened? Why then my father had me with mother and then married Lady Anne?

So many questions and I was eager to know all the truth.

“Your mother's mother worked for mine, so we used to play together. Also your father knew her and we both liked him, only that Kate hid it, she knew well that my father wanted us to marry. When I left for France, I guess she took her chance and had you. I think that Richard loved her, truly, way before of loving me.” She told me, at times sad and happily melancholy. She must have loved her as well, she was her best friend.

“At first I hated her for having you with the boy we both fancied, but she was prettier than me and I was married… and then, after speaking with my mother, I understood it wasn’t your fault, and seeing you here now makes me really happy that she did what she did. She gave me a daughter.”

I was already crying, moved by her words and Lady Anne wiped the tears with a piece of cloth.

“Now, smile and have fun, dear. It’s your birthday, after all.” She then told me and I nodded, going at the center of the room, starting to dance with the guests.

I danced also with Ned, I asked Lady Anne to make him come too, even if he was in the stables, and she consented it, she knew how we were friends.

“His Grace, The Duke of Gloucester!” It was announced at all sudden and people stopped dancing, the music stopped too and I turned to see my father at the door. He still had his cape and I immediately ran to him and he lifted me up.

“Father!” I screamed happy and he held me tightly.

When he put me down, we went to Lady Anne and my brothers.

“Thank you for not telling her” He said to his wife, kissing her hand, and my mouth dropped open. She knew it and she kept it very easily from me.

“It has been a pleasure to witness her surprise in seeing you, my Lord” She replied.

“How are you here, Father? I thought the King…” I started speaking, rather confused by the events. I thought i was dreaming with eyes still open.

He interrupted me at once,

“The King has daughters too, and he understood why I had to leave before” He said and I smiled and thanked the King with the thoughts.

My first birthday at Middleham was perfect. I had people celebrating me, my brothers, Lady Anne, my friends and most importantly, my father was there. I wished for every birthday to be just like this one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, here we are with part 9!  
Kathryn birthday!! :) We don't know when she was born, but i read she probably was born around September, so i didn't specified the date ;)  
I hope you will like the little story behind Kathryn's mother and Richard and ANne's relationship.  
I personally think that Kate wasn't just a random woman that Richard slept with, i think he cared for her, loved her even because i can't imagine Richard Duke of Gloucester having lovers as his brother Edward. But he married Anne in the end, and he loved her! Me writing that he could have loved Kate doesn't mean he doesn't love Anne now ;)  
SO, i hope you will like it!  
See you soon!


	11. Part 10

**Middleham Castle, Middleham, Wensleydale, North Yorkshire, England - 1475**

My cousins stayed for another week after my birthday, then we were again just me and my brothers, and sometimes also the children in Middleham.  
Father was always away and I spent my days with Lady Anne and her mother the Countess, and also with Ned and Guinevere.  
Sir Francis, in his spare time, helped me with riding. I couldn’t mount Guinevere yet, I was too little for my father and for Ned, so I did my practice with a pony.  
“You are doing very good, Kathryn, who knows, maybe by the end of the year you will be able to go around Middleham with Guinevere.” Sir Lovell told me, and for the sudden happiness that hit me at those words, I instantly pulled the reins of the pony, making him scare and, if I hadn’t pulled again to stop him, I would have fall.  
“You shouldn’t exaggerate, little Lady.” He told me, when he called the pony to him and I got off with his help,  
“I know, Sir Lovell, I am sorry.” I said, mortified for being not like a Lady should.  
He rested a hand on my shoulder and smiled at me.  
“You know that is Francis, and I understand your excitement.” He reassured me.  
I smiled back and I nodded. Sir Lovell was a good friend to my father, so maybe I could call him Sir Francis, like Lady Anne was doing already.  
Elizabeth came to take me inside the castle, where Lady Anne was waiting for me with my brothers.  
“Kathryn, your father had to leave for London, but he sends you his greetings and he said he will be back very soon.”  
I was excited to say to him the news that by the end of the year, as Sir Francis said, I could have ride with Guinevere.  
“Do not worry, you won’t even notice his absence. We will entertain ourselves and time will pass fast.” Lady Anne told me and then we went to the outer chamber to sew while my brothers kept us company.  
…  
The next days we went to York, Lady Anne wanted to take a break from the life at the Castle, and I agreed. This time, Ned wasn’t with us, he had his work at the stables, and my brother John started his lessons with the other wards of my father. This time it was me who had to look after little Edward, but I was happy of this duty of mine. I wanted to show how a caring sister I was.  
We went to the market and whoever recognized Lady Anne and the little Lord, bowed its head and wished them well. For the first time I saw how my father and Lady Anne were loved in the North. Common people greeted her and sent the greet to my father as they were the King and the Queen of England, and not just the Duke and the Duchess of Gloucester and protectors of the North.  
I wasn’t expecting that they would greet me too. I wasn’t the daughter of Lady Anne, I was just an illegitimate child of their Lord. But they didn’t ignored me, rather, they reserved the same treatment as them. An old woman also gave me a bunch of country flowers. They were truly beautiful.  
While our trip back to Middleham, Lady Anne told me it was important to show ourselves to the people, that her husband needed the love of the people of the North, for he was almost like an intruder. She was the daughter of the previous Lord in charge and her family was loved. My father inherited these lands with their marriage, he wasn’t a Neville, not totally at least, he was a York and people disliked the idea of a York to control them, but with Lady Anne by his side they slowly accepted him and now they loved them.  
Often they would bring gifts to them, and my father repaid them with his time, when he had it, to listen at their problems, and when he couldn’t he left Anne as the mistress of the Castle and she had all the mansions of the Lord. I attended with her sometimes and I had only admiration for how she was loved by everyone. I wanted to be just like her when I was grown up.  
…  
I was playing in the gardens with my brother John, and Edward tried to stay behind us but he was younger than us and we were laughing. Lady Anne was with her ladies and they were chattering, even if she wasn’t really focused on what they were talking about.  
“Edward! Catch me!” I said to my brother and I slowed down, so he could walk a little faster. I stopped and he reached me. When he was closer, I saw his puffy cheeks being red as a tomato. I asked him if he was all right, he was painting a little and I rested my hand on his forehead. My eyes widened, he was burning. I called John and I could see Lady Anne, from the distance, that she started to worry of me calling my brother.  
A guard, who came with Lady Anne, took little Edward in his arms to take him to his chamber.  
Lady Anne started to pray softly, I was by her side and John was next to me. We were all by the side of the bed where our brother was lying. His breathing was heavy and he was sweating.  
“You made him tired…” I heard her saying. I couldn’t link that voice to the woman who was next to me. It was broken and angry.  
“It was your fault… He is my only son!” She raised her voice at the exclamation and looked directly at me. Her eyes were red and teary. Her skin was very pale, more than ever.  
I couldn’t believe she was talking to me like that, she was always very kind. I tried to speak, to say I was sorry but she didn’t let me, she turned her gaze away again.  
“Anne…” I was too distracted by the coldness of the woman in front of me to even notice that my father was there. He approached us slowly. He probably heard everything since he first came to me and John and told us to leave, that he would come to speak to us later. And while I was leaving the room with John, I saw him kneeling down and let his wife to fall into his arms.  
Me and John went with Elizabeth and Sir Francis at the chapel, to pray for the little Lord the next days.  
I squeezed the rosary in my hands. I was pleading the Lord to let my brother live, that Lady Anne would have not hated me if anything was to happen to him. What if my father already hated me for bringing to any danger his only legitimate son?  
I felt tears starting to coming down my cheeks, but I fought them back. I couldn’t cry, I didn’t wanted to be like the others girls who cried for everything. I used to dream of being a knight and a man doesn’t cry.  
After a while, we heard steps coming in and we all got up and turned to see it was my father. His face seemed relaxed, but I couldn’t understand what that face was to mean.  
“Edward is awake and he is recovering.” He said, doing a little smile and I held tightly the hand of Elizabeth, who was just next to me.  
“That is a good news, Dickon” Sir Francis said, approaching my father and he nodded, then he looked at me and John.  
“Children, my wife, Lady Anne, desires to see you.” He told us and I felt my heartbeat slowing down for a moment. I was nervous because I didn’t know what she wanted to tell us. I was scared because I was thinking that her love for us might have gone after that day.  
We made a curtsy and then we went to our brother’s chamber. She was sat on the bed, next to her son and when we were announced by her guard, we made a curtsy.  
“Come in, children.” She just said. She still had that broken voice she had the day when Edward fell ill. We came closer and she turned to us completely, and took one of our hands in hers.  
“Kathryn, John, I am sorry for what I said. I was… I thought that Edward was going to die. He is my only biological son, but you two are my children too. I shouldn’t have treated you like you weren’t.” She said very slowly and softly.  
I wanted to say something, but my brother preceded me, “We understand, my Lady, you do not have to feel sorry.” He said and I nodded in agreement. We both understood the love she felt for her son. It was strongest than any bond she had with others.  
“Thank you, dears. Can you give me an hug?” She then asked and, after smiling, we hugged her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New Part out!   
Wow! Already 10 parts! ^^   
In this i spoke of a few things. Kathryn practise riding and develops a kind of friendship and trust towards Francis Lovell (his frendship with Richard *-*), she admires Lady Anne more now and she assisted at the adoration people has for her and Richard, and even for her that is an illegitimate child. And then we have the mother's love of Anne that can blind a person, making her angry with the children for tiring Edward playing with them. I think i made her human and so real also, because she could have said "no problem, is not your fault, he will be allright" but i think that, since we know little Edward was fragile, she probably was very worried and in alert for her son.   
Tell me what do you think and hope you will be still here for next part :)


	12. Part 11

**Middleham Castle, Middleham, Wensleydale, North Yorkshire, England - 1475**

It came with the messenger that morning, that cold morning. I remember waking up and freezing as soon as my foot were out of the bed. The little dressing gown was ready in Elizabeth’s hands, and she helped me putting it on.

“Is freezing, Elizabeth!” I lamented and Elizabeth smirked.

“We will add another fur to your bed, then” I nodded at her proposition and I dressed with one of my winter dresses.

Once I was ready, with my hair gathered in a braid, I went to the great hall, my brother John and my father were speaking and my father was showing him a sword.

“…you will use this once you will be older…” I heard him saying while approaching them. I cleared my throat to make notice them my presence and they both turned.

“Oh, Kathryn, here you are.” My father said and I made a curtsy. “I was explaining to John that once he will be older he will be able to use this, I had it made for him by the blacksmith.”

I admired the sword, I wanted to be a knight too, but I knew I couldn’t be one, like my brothers could instead, they were boys and I was a girl, I was supposed to be the damsel in distress as tales told.

“Kathryn?”

I shook my head lightly and I smiled, “I’m sorry, it is a beautiful sword, father!” I said, and he nodded.

“Richard…” I turned the gaze toward the door and I saw Lady Anne coming with a letter in her hand. She came to us and handed it to my father, and he read it fast.

“What the King, or the Queen, demands?” Lady Anne asked, she seemed quite angry, she was surely holding back herself.

“Anne!” He said coolly, looking at her for a second, then looking back at the letter.

“The King, and the Queen…” He underlined the ‘and’ “…invites us for Christmas, all of us.”

“I don’t want to go, Richard… she hates me, last time I was there…” Lady Anne started to whimper and she was holding on to me by my shoulders.

I was there too and I know how much Lady Anne suffered, I was looking at both of them.

“Anne, you can’t give the blame to the Queen.” He tried to say calmly, I could see he was hurt by what she was saying.

“I don’t want to go…” She concluded and she went away.

John and I were silent. Our father closed the letter and went away too. I guessed he was going directly to his wife.

“What are we doing now?” John asked me.

“I don’t know… we could go outside, I want to see Guinevere.” I told him and he nodded.

We went to the stables and there was Jeremy, the stableman, and Ned. I went directly to Guinevere, but slowly because I didn’t wanted to scare her.

“I think we’re even, sister, you have a horse and I have a sword.” Commented John while I was caressing her mane. But it wasn’t even, because soon he would have a horse too. But I didn’t replied, just smiled and asked Ned the necessary to clear her.

My brother was called out from his trainer and I stayed there with my Guinevere and Ned.

“Kathryn… Kathryn?” He called me and I turned my head.

“Are you all right?” Solely he would joke, but this time he seemed serious.

I didn’t know if I could reveal to him my secret dream, the fact that I wanted to be a knight, as my brother was to be, or as my father was. He would have laugh and told me that it was a silly fantasy, that I was a Lady, I couldn’t be a knight.

But, he was also my friend, the only male friend I had, so probably he wouldn’t have laugh, I wondered, for a moment, if we could have share the same aspiration.

“I want to be a knight” I said and I didn’t dared to look at him in that moment.

“A knight?” He asked me and I turned again toward him.

“Yes, I know it is impossible, I am a girl and I can’t be one, but I read the books about them and I was amazed by their braveness and their gestures!” I started to speak with passion about it and I just saw Ned smiling so I blushed a little.

“But is just a silly dream…” I said that myself and Ned was still smiling.

“I don’t think is silly, impossible, yes, but not silly.”

I looked down, disappointed by his answer, but it was the truth after all. I looked where John was with the others wards of my father. He was training with a wooden sword.

“Why they’re using fake swords?” I asked curious and before Ned could speak, I heard a hand on my shoulder.

“If they use real swords they would easily hurt themselves.” He told me, smiling and then caressing my hair. I lifted up my eyes, trying to understand what happened with Lady Anne.

“Don’t worry, Lady Anne is feeling better now and we will all go at court for Christmas” he told me, like my Lady he had developed this ability of reading into my mind. I smiled and then I saw him going to check on his wards, to see if they were good students already.

My brother was a fast learner and I admired him from afar.

“Kathryn…” I turned again and Ned had two wooden brooms in his hands. He was smiling and I did the same when he passed one to me.

“If you want to be a knight, you have to practice!” He told me and we started to sinking blows a little randomly because we never used a sword, he worked in a stable and I was the daughter of a nobleman, but we tried to not hit the other.

“Don’t be gentle, Ned!” I told him, since I noticed he wasn’t doing his best, probably he was scared of hitting me.

“I have to, or your father will kill me” He answered. Maybe some other nobleman would have killed him for real, but not my father, seeing that Ned would not doing it by purpose.

I was having fun fighting with him. I never thought that someone would indulge with me in this matter. My father, or my brother, would have laugh, softened by my silly dream, but they would never give me a broom to fight around with them.

“You are not going to be beaten by a girl, are you, Ned?” I heard Francis’s voice and Ned stopped immediately and I did too.

“I’m sorry, Sir Lovell” He said at once, and I heard Sir Francis laughing.

I turned to him and pouted, he interrupted our fight. He smiled and took the fake sword from my hand.

“You shouldn’t play like that, my lady” He told me, apprehensive, lowering himself at my height.

“You won’t tell my father, right Sir Francis?” I asked him then, and he smiled.

“I don’t think he need to know, no one got hurt, aye?” He looked at both of us and we nodded. I think Ned’s hair could have turned to grey for how much he was scared and I giggled seeing that he relaxed.

“Now, Lady Kathryn, Lady Anne required your presence.” He then told me, in a formal way and I went immediately.

Lady Anne was in her chambers, it was clear to me that she cried, her eyes were swollen and red, but she had wide smile on her face when she saw me entering through the door.

“You wanted to see me, my Lady?” I said and she nodded.

“Yes, Kathryn. Your father already told you we are going at court for Christmas, I suppose,” I nodded and she smiled again, “But your brother Edward won’t come with us.”

I frowned at this, why little Edward couldn’t come with us? Yes, he was little, but he was the legitimate son of my father. Lady Anne noticed my confusion and she made me sit next to her bed.

“Edward’s health is delicate, we don’t want him to get fever during the trip, he is still too little and he could… But don’t worry, your father promised we will spend time together once we will be back home.” She told me and it was hard for me to believe it. He did spent time with us, but I never expected he kept this kind of promise, for I understood the importance of my father now. He had to accomplish his duty, but his word was true.

“I understand, my lady, and I am happy to spend Christmas at court. I shall see my cousins again.” I told her, showing a little of excitement.

“Yes, you shall” She caressed my hair gently and I smiled. I understood her concern, but she had nothing to worry about. We would have all been there.

**Author's Note:**

> This is just the prologue of my story, is a little prologue, i know, but i hope you liked it and if you are curious to read more about Kathryn, then stay tuned because in October i will post the first part ;)  
Have a good day/evening,  
Francesca.


End file.
